Central West Western Plains Rural Report, Wednesday August 28, 2013

Federal Agriculture Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has announced that Labor would appoint a new, independent mediator to help finalise a Food and Grocery Code of Conduct, if it's re-elected.

Talks between representatives of farmers, processors, Coles and Woolworths have so far failed to arrive at a voluntary code of conduct designed to ensure fair and transparent dealings between the supermarkets and their suppliers.

The National Farmers Federation walked away from the negotiating table in March, saying it would push for a mandatory code of conduct instead.

In a carefully worded statement that uses neither the word 'mandatory', nor the word 'voluntary' to describe the code, Mr Fitzgibbon also says Labor would work with the National Farmers Federation to develop a set of standard contracts for supermarket suppliers.

Labor's Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury, has previously said that while he would prefer a voluntary code, Labor would consider making that mandatory if negotiations failed.

Minister Fitzgibbon has also promised that a national register of all foreign purchases of agricultural land, first promised by then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard almost a year ago, would be up and running by the first of July 2014.

APVMA bans 11 chemicals

Skye Manson

The chemical regulator has made it illegal to use some 24D chemical products, due to environmental concerns and reports of excessive spray drift.

This week the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority cancelled the registration for 11 of the remaining 24D high volatile esther products.

The chemicals are mostly used in broadacre crop production but have been largely phased out due to a tightening of restrictions seven years ago.

National Merino Show and Sale

Sally Bryant

The annual Dubbo National Merino Show and Sale commenced this week, now with added expo.

President of the organising committee Stuart McBurnie says the secret to a thriving business or event is a readiness to adapt to changing times, and he says the expo is a symptom of how the show and sale has adapted over time.

"With fifty studs from across Australia coming to the show, we already have a huge drawcard, now we're putting on even more for people to see."

Solar farms

Lucy Barbour

A 100 megawatt solar farm is planned for Nyngnan, construction is expected to start next year, and it's planned to be commercially operational in 2015.

But solar farms are not that common in Australia; not like solar panels on rooves

Kylie Catchpole, associate professor of solar engineering at the Australian National University in Canberra says solar farms have been slower to take off in Australia than in other countries, but the rising price of deisel will have an impact on how small grids generate their electricity.

She says there is potential for Australian mines to replace deisel generators with solar farm power, as has been done in South America.